Chapter 1083 Capturing the Famous King

After Li Yantou retreated to Guyuan City, he immediately sent someone to report the news that the Qi army had returned to Wusu City to Yining City.

Although Li Tai had some guesses about this, he couldn't help but frown when he learned that the enemy had returned so quickly.

If this was really a trap to lure the enemy deep into the city, this approach would inevitably seem a bit rough and too impatient. Did they want the main force of the Wei army to advance or not?

Because Li Yantou and his party were hastily repelled, it was not clear how many enemy troops had returned to Wusu City. So Li Tai was not in a hurry to make any instructions to Han Guo's troops in the direction of Wusu City, but first asked Li Yantou to pay close attention to the enemy's movements outside Wusu City, and ordered Yun Baochai, who was defending the mountainous area east of the Qinshui River Valley, to discuss whether the enemy had any large-scale actions in the Shangdang direction.

Soon, new intelligence was sent back from Li Yantou. The enemy troops that had returned to Wusu City quickly attacked and occupied the defense points around Wusu City, and seemed to be besieging Wusu City. Han Guo also added further information about the enemy, saying that the troops that returned to Wusu City were about 5,000 light cavalry.

As for Shangdang, due to the road conditions, no conclusive enemy intelligence has been sent back yet. However, after hearing that most of the troops were light cavalry, Li Tai guessed that it might be a vanguard of the enemy. As for most of the troops, there might be a certain distance disconnection, otherwise, with Han Guo's caution, he would not have ignored such a huge threat.

At this time, Gao Le also led 20,000 light-armed troops from Pingyang to Yining. After some consideration, Li Tai ordered Han Guo in Wusu City to evacuate the 10,000 troops in the city to the west, and sent Gao Le to lead 3,000 troops to Wusu City to meet the retreating division.

In order to lure the Wei army to the east, the Qi army even gave up an important stronghold like Wusu City. It can be seen that they also prepared a relatively large battle plan based on this, otherwise they would not have thrown out such a large bait.

Although the Wei army has swallowed the bait, it has not been hooked yet and can spit out the bait at any time. Once the Wei army chooses to abandon Wusu City and withdraw, although it has not completed the predetermined combat objectives and has returned in vain, it has at least dealt a devastating blow to Wusu City.

However, the Qi army gave up such an important city, but ended up not catching any hair, and the subsequent combat plan was difficult to implement, which is naturally unacceptable. Therefore, this enemy vanguard light cavalry must chase and stop the returning army, and then it can be led into the mountain road to destroy it.

At the same time, the evacuation of part of the troops in Wusu City can not only strengthen the channel connection between Wusu and Qinyuan, but also reduce some of the pressure of delivering military supplies to the front battlefield.

Soon Li Tai's order reached Wusu City. Han Guo did not hesitate after receiving the order. He divided the troops ready to withdraw that night. After midnight, when there was still some time before dawn, Deputy General Guo Yan led 2,000 fully armed soldiers out of the city first and set up a battle formation outside Wusu City.

In the Qi army camp not far south of Wusu City, Xiucheng King Gao Xiaoxu, who was still sleeping soundly, was awakened by the soldiers who reported the news. He was very annoyed. When he learned that the enemy army had made such a strange move, he immediately led a light cavalry unit out of the camp and rushed directly to the enemy army under the city, preparing to force the enemy army back into the city.

However, in the dim light of the night, it was not conducive to the high-speed attack of cavalry. In addition, the Wei army had already made sufficient preparations. After several collisions between the two sides, the Qi army not only failed to break through the enemy's battle formation, but also suffered considerable damage. Even Gao Xiaoxu fell off his horse in the chaos. If it were not for the timely rescue of the nearby soldiers, he would have been injured.

"Keep a close eye on these Qiang bandits. No matter what they do, kill them after dawn!"

After leaving the battlefield, Gao Xiaoxu was still a little frightened. He raised his hand to press the painful abdomen under the armor, and said viciously, and then reined in his horse and returned to the camp.

After luring out and repelling the enemy, the other soldiers who were about to evacuate also left the city one after another under the cover of night, and lined up in front and behind to go up the mountain road to the west.

The Qi soldiers who stayed here to monitor naturally noticed this, and Gao Xiaoxu was shocked when he heard that the enemy was planning to abandon the city and leave, worrying that the emperor's arrangements would be messed up.

However, after fighting for a while, he had no confidence in stopping the retreating enemy, so he could only order the soldiers to continue to closely monitor the enemy's dynamics. At the same time, he also ordered people to pass the situation here to the rear and asked Wuxing King Gao Pu to quickly lead other vanguard troops to the north for reinforcement.

It was not easy to wait until dawn. When the morning light broke, the vision gradually became wider. Gao Xiaoxu led his troops to the foot of Wusu City again. Looking up, although the flags were still flying on the top of the city, the popularity was also visibly reduced.

"Your Majesty, from midnight till now, the Qiang bandits have been evacuating the city. It's hard to count in the dark, but it's estimated that at least more than 10,000 people have evacuated the city. As for how many enemy troops are still stationed in the city, it's easy to know."

A sergeant who had been watching since night came forward and reported to Gao Xiaoxu with his hands crossed.

Gao Xiaoxu frowned even more after hearing this, and immediately asked: "How long has the last enemy army left the city and headed west?"

"Half an hour ago."

After hearing the report from the sergeant, Gao Xiaoxu raised his eyebrows, and immediately said in a deep voice: "Hurry up and tell all the soldiers in the camp to get up, eat quickly, and then chase the enemy!"

After hearing this, the general Wei Yu beside him hurriedly advised: "Your Majesty, please be patient. If the enemy really abandons the city and runs away, why don't you leave all the troops? Leave a group of soldiers to defend the city, and you know that it is still I haven't given up yet. Although there are troops heading west, I think it's just a pretense. I need to find out if there is a trick!"

After hearing this, Gao Xiaoxu waved his hand nonchalantly and said, "Even if there is a trick, it's just an ambush in the mountain road. Haven't we encountered it before? What can the thieves do to me? The Supreme Lord used the city as bait. Since the thieves have taken the bait, how can they escape from it! If you are scared, stay here to wait for the rear division, don't stop me from chasing and killing the thieves!"

Seeing Gao Xiaoxu frowning and unhappy, Wei Yu also shut up and said no more. He thought that even if the enemy ambushed the mountain road, they could withdraw calmly when they saw the situation was not good.

Fearing that the enemy would escape far away, Gao Xiaoxu immediately urged his troops to attack quickly after returning to the camp and having a meal. He did not go out in full force this time, but only brought 3,000 troops, and the rest of the personnel remained here to monitor the enemy's movements in Wusu City.

It was not that Gao Xiaoxu was prudent, but because the division led by Wuxing King Gao Pu had not arrived yet, he had to split his troops into two places.

Before leaving, Gao Xiaoxu said: "The hero's family actually has a cowardly and mediocre person like Wuxing King, who is slow in action and delays military opportunities. If the thief escapes far away this time, it will be his fault! I will report to the Supreme and punish him severely!"

As he spoke, he led his troops to pursue the enemy westward. Along the mountain road to Qinyuan in the west, traces of the retreat of the Wei army can be seen everywhere, and there are many flags and weapons abandoned on the way. From this scene, we can imagine the panic and haste of the enemy's retreat.

The group ran forward along the valley for about half an hour, and was about to pass the place where they encountered the enemy and robbed supplies last time. The scouts in front finally reported that they had caught up with the rear of the enemy in the valley a few miles to the west and were resting in the valley.

"Speed ​​up! The enemy army fled in a hurry, running for a long time, and their morale is low. They will surely collapse at the first blow!" Gao Xiaoxu was overjoyed when he heard this, and he hurriedly gave orders, and he also whipped the horse under his crotch repeatedly, urging the warhorse to jump quickly in the valley. Not long after, the group rushed to the place where the scout had reported before. Sure enough, many Wei soldiers were still sitting on the ground in the valley to rest. At this moment, they also noticed that the pursuers had chased here, and hurriedly stood up and began to flee. Gao Xiaoxu was even more delighted to see the enemy in such chaos, and rushed into the valley first. This valley is one of the few relatively open places on the westbound mountain road. It is about several miles long. The Wei army stopped at the back half of the valley to rest. As Gao Xiaoxu led his troops to rush forward, these panicked Wei army soldiers also rushed into the narrow pass in the rear, and at the pass, fully armed soldiers with clear formations appeared!

"Oh no, the Qiang bandits are ambushing!"

After seeing this scene, Gao Xiaoxu became alert and hurriedly stopped his horse in the valley, and waved his hand to signal the troops behind to stop chasing, but it was too late now.

The Wei army ambushed not only at the westward pass, but also on the mountain walls on both sides of the valley. They were all the personnel who evacuated first last night. After arriving here, they climbed up the mountain walls on both sides in the dark to wait for the rear division. A group of people in the valley deliberately acted in a panic to lure the enemy here. As the pursuers rushed into the encirclement, arrows rained down from both sides!

At the same time, Gao Le also led the armored soldiers to charge towards the valley. At this time in the valley, the enemy troops were in chaos after being ambushed. Gao Xiaoxu was trying to escape from the valley, but at this time, the arrows were flying like locusts and the soldiers and horses were scared away. No matter how much he shouted, it was difficult to reorganize the team.

As Gao Le led his troops into the valley, although the arrows from both sides stopped flying, the Qi army was also cut off and killed. Gao Xiaoxu and several of his personal soldiers were cut off in a mountain valley on one side. Seeing the enemy soldiers rushing towards him aggressively, he could not help but shout loudly: "I am a noble of the royal family of Qi, and I am the King of Xiucheng. You Qiang soldiers, please don't kill me. It will be a great achievement to save my life!"

Gao Le, who was leading his troops to fight elsewhere, vaguely heard Gao Xiaoxu's panicked roar. His heart suddenly moved, and he immediately rushed to the mountain valley with a long spear in his hand, and shouted: "Who said the King of Xiucheng? Get off your horse and be tied up!"